A section to cover all the different problems encountered by running game x on system y! Whether it's as simple as a non-STE compatible game through to h/drive installable games. Discuss them all in here.

In another thread ( viewtopic.php?f=86&t=21128 ) I was complaining that Readysoft Dragon's Lair cracked by Atari Legends locked up my 1meg 520 STM computer. After double clicking the PRG file to start them game, the screen changes and music starts playing. This is the where they give info on the group responsible for the crack.

Playing the same disks on two separate 1040 STf computers everything works fine.

Yesterday I received from Best Electronics in California, a brand new 1040 STfm mother board. After putting everything together very nicely, one of the 1st things I tried was to play Dragon's Lair.....

It locks up at the intro exactly the same as the 1meg 520STM. I can only assume the reason being is the RF modulator.

Both 1040STf work 100% fine. Both M computers , 520STM and 1040STfm lockup. Also, all 4 of these ST computers are NTSC. That may possibly have something to do with it. (?)

So, anyone with a NTSC M model ST confirm this? How about someone with a PAL M ST? The files can be found at Climatics / Hang Loose ( http://www.climatics.com/downloads.php ) Sorted, Games, D, Dragons Lair.

Not that it is all that important, but I had just started collecting and playing with ST hardware when I 1st tried this and it had me scratching my head for hours, swapping chips between machines, trying to figure out if I had a bad 520 computer. (it did eventually die! )

SofiST wrote:There is no way that SW can detect is RF modulator in machine (or that it self causing problems). It is just additional circuit on video stage.What about TOS versions ? - UK and US is not 100% same .

Hmmm.... All 4 machines have the same US TOS 1.0.... and at one point I even moved the 6 chips between machines.

Whatever is different about the video circuit on these M model computers causes this software to crash.Seems odd, but I have it all right here in front of me....

I should also note though, after launching the PRG, you can mash SPACE over and over and the hackers intro will be passed over.Then the game works just fine.

Official Ninja wrote:Whatever is different about the video circuit on these M model computers causes this software to crash.

I agree with SofiST, the modulator by itself can't produce any changes on the software whatsoever. It wouldn't be so different to say that it fails because of the type of speakers connected.

Conceivable, the video circuit might produce some tiny secondary effects, such as affecting the power supply, noise, etc; but the chances that this would be the culprit are extremely tiny. It is much more likely that something else common to your both "M" machines is the cause of the problem:

Assuming same TOS version, possible causes could be such things as different chipset (GLUE/MMU) revision, different wakeup, different clock crystal, and even something related to the floppy (such as RPM a bit too slow, or a bit too fast).

Yesterday I received from Best Electronics in California, a brand new 1040 STfm mother board. After putting everything together very nicely...

Hmm, so it was only the motherboard? Then what other stuff you put there (keyboard, drive)? Did you try swapping drives (between a 1040 STf and the 1040 STfm)?

ijor wrote:Hmm, so it was only the motherboard? Then what other stuff you put there (keyboard, drive)? Did you try swapping drives (between a 1040 STf and the 1040 STfm)?

Between the 4 machines all of the parts able to be swapped have been.

In other words the game boots fine on a STf. I swapped every socketed chip, keyboard, and disk drive to the M machine and it does not boot.Both M machines. (of course the keyboard can't be moved to the 520M , but it didnt work on the 1040M either...)

It locks when launched from the internal disk drive or the external B drive. (That was the A drive for the 520M)

If someone with a NTSC M computer can make disk 1 from the site mentioned above and try it out...

BTW, this is also is the same for SPACE ACE. Same crack and intro.... I haven't tried the others in the series....

I'll post over at AA , maybe a better chance at finding a NTSC ST user willing to give it a try.

There is slight clock gen. crystal diff between M and non-M machines. But surely it is not the problem, at least not with originals. I fixed all 6 cartoon games, and they work on TT and Falcon too, where clocks are much different.Suggestion: get hard disk or some SD, CF adapter and play trained, autoplay versions : http://atari.8bitchip.info/fromhd.phpIf you are experienced with soldering, may DIY this : http://atari.8bitchip.info/astide.php (second project) .